A student loan is a type of loan designed to help students pay for the costs of higher education. Student loans can be either secured or unsecured. A secured loan is backed by collateral, such as a car or a house. If the borrower defaults on the loan, the lender can seize the collateral to satisfy the debt. An unsecured loan is not backed by collateral. If the borrower defaults on the loan, the lender has no recourse other than to sue the borrower for the amount of the debt.
Secured student loans typically have lower interest rates than unsecured student loans because the lender is taking on less risk. However, secured student loans also come with some risks. For example, if the borrower defaults on the loan, the lender could seize the collateral. This could result in the borrower losing their car or their house.